Locking device for automobiles.



E. E. DAVIS.

i vLOCKING DEVrCE FDR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLlcAHoN FILED SEPT. 2e. |916.

'f 13205424. lafvnte Nov'. 14, 19m.

|55 forrneclfpon its-inner side with;

UNITED sTAlTEe PATENT :OFFICE f EDWARD E. DAVISXI QF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

r LOCKING DEVIC FOR AUTOMOBILES.

n .Toiall 'whom t mag/.concern Y y h i-Be it-knovlin that I, vlflow'mo E.'DAv1s,u .eitizen of the United States, and e resident,of-.Ch ieug0, eountyfot Cook,and .State oulllinois, have 2invented certain new and ifaise'ful .Improvementsin4 Lookin Devices for, Automobiles, of Awhich. the 4f o lowing 'is de'i'clerc-:dv to -he a seription. -Thisinvention relates to locking devices .fonlatitomobiles und other I notoi vehicles;

lOnelobject is to provide'improved means insteeri'ng mechanism for dseonneetix'lg the steering-Wheel from the steering post` .Another Objectis to provide leek-con :tlolledinenns foi' preventing-11001355-to thehusln'g .of the .liilonetzny gear mechanisms With thesen .ndotherobjects in 'viengthis ln-nentlon. eonssts in the several novel entures -ofconstrnotion znl'nngen'ient sind com# ngbinotion of parte =11ereinufter full)r de .sciib'e'dandclfiimed.'

The invention is:l clearly i'llubjtltuted in the drnivin'g4 :xeeon'lpnnying this sp'eeifieition, in

ne' .Figure 1, 'ie al nenti-nil longitudinal section vtlnjough a' fragment of u steering column, n

steeringHpost therein und vsteering .wheel .withzmy mlp-iroved locelu'ng-n'looh'zu'nsi'n :vpplie-cl Athereto ;.F 2,' isn ftl'nnevels'o section the' view beiiigLtulien inthe liieotion ficnmstnndnl'l oto motor vehicle steering' gfezll" 'Wheels oftlio'vehiele Supportedli-ponthe upp'eliend-of' theieol'uu'ni .oi' standard (Liso housing 9, threaded-"npon lite-'outer snlo'nnd Sijoioatipnof Letters Patent. Application illedSeptemlier full, clear, nndennet e 4lon-hdmi" on the line (3m-( of Fig. 2.'

.Patented Nov. 14.., .1 916.

es, 191e. serial No. 122,640.

port 11, upon whichnre jolnnalecl pinions l2, that inesli with 'theintelnnl' mele 10 of the housing 9. The steering wheel 13,11% 6'0 n' dQWIHVzLIdIy extending stud shaft 14., which isi-keyed to the 'steel-ing wheel and 5e- .culjed thereon-hy n nut 15, threaded upon e ,reduced upper end ofthe' stnd shaft' 14j xlliigidly mounted npon snid'S'tnd shaft 14', 65

is u pinion 16, which adapted to mesh with the pinions 12 und' Whieh. is :liso euvpablo of being demeshed therefrom by lift` 111g o1: moving the steeringwvheel' lengthwise of the steel-ing post: 'The 'pinion' 16,- 70 pinions 12, intel'nnl'raek 10 :1ndv pinion support 1 1, form n '-)linetin'y geur connecv tion betweei'l the steering wheel 13 und Steel'- ing post'S .so n's t'e'li'eet n'die'i'ontinl movement between the steei-ingwheelnnd stee'r-'75 ing post, :1s is common und well knownto those skilled in this :n t.'() n the stud shnt't 14, immediately above tl'1`e";,p`ini on 16, is. rigidly syemred if flange 17V 'of laiger dinmeL adopted to ool'i'ei'nte .with c'fe'it in meollonism'fol 4holding the pinion 16 jiii meslied' oi' demoshedcondition with-the pini'ons 12, Threaded' upon the housing` l,` is a cover o1' enp 18, ;md said cup hns n' central open- 8b inf.,r inl its uppor'si le,-tln'ongh ivhieh -thestnd shaft i-lpi'ojetf into the interior 'of thecnp nml housing D." 'The lower end ol the Stud l shaft- 14, is; 17e(l\u:e(l in"dini'nete1' midis-rotntivolv mounted in the Steeiing 'post S; 90 fSl-idnbly monnled in Huid ooi-'enoliup 18, is ulock vholt 19, whichlinH n shonldei: 20, adopted to projo@ over the flange'17,'w1ien -evo'r the pinio'ns 1 2. 1.13, ni'e in mesh', to thon-by hohl Suid pinions in nies-h end inso 95 to prevent tln` steering* wheel from being*A niovof] lengthwise of the stoe1' n,fp mt. .Suid lool(l boliI 4reellenullnngeil to ifnlelile libel' l'lnngfe 1T. \\"l1one\o1 the steering -whoel is pulloll upwinnlnnd to thereby hold the l, formed on the inner'fnce 105 poi tion 194, of `11 witlrfnotclns 19h, lindiibs 2 0, projecting'- plate 20, an sa tend into` said notches and guide the lock bolt in its movements to und fnpm the stud Shaft. l

Locking mechanism 24, is provided for .actuating the lock bolt 19, and 'locking it in its active position above or below the flange' 17 and obviously any sort of tumbler locking mechanism may be employed'. In the drawing, an ordinary pin cylinder tumbler lock is employed, which'iso rated by a key 25; said locking mec ianisrn 1s mounted in a recessed portion 26, of the cover orcap 18, and one of the tumblers of the locking mechanism has un arm 27, connected therewith, which enters a notch 28, `formed in the shank or stem of the lock bolt 19, whereby the rotatorial movement of the tumblers and arm .2'?, may'be translated into4 a 'neciprocatory movement of the lock bolt.

The lock bolt-supportin plate 20, extends back into the recesse portion 2li, of the cover or cap and has downturned edge portions 20, that lit between the side and end walls of said recessed portion E2G, and rest upon the bottom 26, of the recessed portion 26. A pawl or detent 28, is pivoted at one end u on a pin 29, secured. to the said pawl or detent has'a shar edge 28", adapted to impinge against the tlireaded portion of the housing 9, whenever the cover or cap is turnedv in a direction to unscrew thel same from the housn The pawl or detent 28, is preferably mau e of a plurality o f case-hardenedsbeet metal pieces, riveted together for the purpose of strength and obtaining a hard pawl lat. a minimum cost. The pawl has one arm 287 which lies in the ath of a, downwardly projectin lu 20', ormed upon the under-l side of t e s ank of the lock bolt, which -lug-projects down through a slot 20, and

against the 4 screw threaded end of the housing 9, the result being that any attempt to unscrew the cap or cover from said housing will result in the pawl biting into 'the threaded end and L the cover or cap. h n, however, the lock bolt is retracted the ug 20', engages tlul arm 28",.of the pawl and swings the sharp edge thereof out of engagement with the housinrr 9. The cover or cap may thereupon be readily unscrewed from the housing l).

In -operation the pinion 1li, when in malwrl nnnditionwith the ninions oner- )reventing removal o1" turned by turning the steering wheel. This` position is best seen in Fig, 1, and at such time the lock bolt overlies the flange 17, of the stud shaft, und holds the gears in mesh. To disconnect the steering wheel and its stud shaft .from the steeringl post, and thereby make it impossible to steer the vehicle from the steerngwheel, the lock is first operated by the key fitting the same and the tumblers given partial rotation in a direction to thereby retract the lock bolt from its position underneath the flange 17. In this position the steering wheel ,may'be lifted to demesh the pinion 1G from the pinions 12, whereb the llange 17, of ythe stud shaft is brought into a position above the lock bolt` as clearly shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the key may be turned to move the loc bolt toward the stud shaft with its shouldered end underlying the flange 1T. thereby supporting the steerin wheel, stud shaft and post and holding tiie pinion 16, out of mesh with thepinions l2. The steering wheel may now be turned without turn` ing the steering post, thus making it im ossible to drive away the vehicle without rst retracting the lock bolt from underneath the flange and moving the pinion lll into mesh with the pinons 12. Furthermore, by reason of the engagement of theV pawl 28, with the threaded end of the collar 9, an unauthorized person cannot unseren' the cover vfrom the housing. To operatively connecl the steeringwheel with the steering post. the proper key is inserted in -theflock, the tulnblers turned inthe proper direction. thereb)- retracting the lock bolt from underneath the flange 17 after which the steering wheel is lowered, bringing the )inion 16. into mesh with the pinlons 12. a ter whicl the key is turned in the direction to bring the look holt hack to its operative position When the steering wheel is disconnecto( from the steering post, the vehicle connor be driven away because of the disconnecte( steering wheel. The vehicle may. however be moved slowly if the front wheels them selves are manipulated in steering the lvehi cle. In this way. it muy be moved fron one position to anotherin case of lire oii1 case it otherwise obstructs the trullic, thu con'iplying with'mun)y of the laws relating to motor vehicles. Y i

The cup of thtl housing cannot be remove( until the stud shaft uml steering wheel al' moved upwarthso that the pinion 16 i above the p`lane of the other frearsv of th planetary mechanism, und betine this re moval can be accomplished the lock pair must be operated.

I do not herein claim the locking devic fonlbcking the steering wheel in operativ More or less variation in the exact details of construction is possible withoutdeparts ing from the spirit of this invention, and desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exactfforin of construction shown and described, but intend in the following ,claims to point out all of the invention disclosed herein. I l l y'I'lclaini as' new and'. Letters lPatent:-.

l, A locking dev/ice for motor vehicles, comprising a steering co umn having an externally screwthreaded housing secured thereon, a cover -for said housing, threaded thereon, apawl pivotally supported by saidV cover and having a sharp edge adapted to inipinge against the threads on the hous ing, a reciproca-l .clement supported in said cover and having -ailug adapted to engage said pawl. and capable of moving it into and out of engagement with the threads on the housing, and key controlled mechanism for reciprocating said reciprocatory clenient.

2. ln a locking` device for inotor vehicles, a. steering coluinii having an externally screwlhreaded housing secured upon its upper end, a cover threaded on said housing, a locking paivl consisting. Qi a plurality of case hardened sections secured together and having an edge adapted to impinge upon the screw threads von the housing, a reciprocal element, slidably mounted in said cover', and having a lug adapted to engage said pawl and capable of moving it into and out of engagement with said screw threads on the housing, and key controlled locking mechanism for reciprocating said reciprocatory element.

3.. In a steering head for against llengthwise 'iiiovement, a housing' mounted relatively to said post, a planetary. gearing 'in said housing, of a stud shait, a

steering wheel on said stud shaft', a pinion lined to said stud shaft, said studv shaft being mounted for lengthwise -inovcment relai tively to the steering post, whereby the said pinion niay be ineshed'and deineshed with said planetary gearing, and a. cap for said housing, the top of which spaced from the geariugto permit of the lengthwise moveiiient of the 'stud shait and its pinion'.

4, In. a steering head for an automobile, theico'n'ibination with a steering post fixed against lengthwise 4movement, `a 4housing iiiounted concentric with said post. a plaucta-ry gearing in said housing, oi' a stud shaft mounted to inove lengthwise, 'and ineans operated by'the endwisenioveineiit of the stud shaft .whereby the planetary gearing ina-y be operative or inoperative according to the position of said stud shaft,

a automobile. the combination with-a' steering post, fixed..

and a cap ffor said housing the top of which is spaced from the gearing to permit the )E lengthwise movement of said stud shaft, a liange carried by the shaft and positionedabove the pinion to limit the cndwisc iiiovc-A ment of the stud shaft.

5. In a steeringhea'd for an automobile;l 'l0 -thc combination with a steering post lined.`

against lengthwise inovenient, a. housingmounted concentric with said post, a plait. etary gearingl in said housing, of a; :studv shait mounted to nieve lengthwise, and 75 nieans operated by the endwise inovernent of theV stud shaft whereby the planetary gearing may be operative or inoliierative ac.

,cording to the position of' Said Stud Shaft, Aand a cap lor said housing the top of which 8f3 ing wheel, a stud shaft secured to said;

wheel and having 'operative connection witli said steering post but independently niovlable relative .to said steering post, a paw'l 'carried by the cover and adapted to iii'ipinge againstthe threads of the housing, a bolt and means operated by said bolt, 'lo iiiove the said pawl from engagement with said threads. I .i

7. A locking device for automobiles coniprising a, steering column,

screw threaded housing coneentrica lly a steering post within said eoluinn, a steering wheel, a :stud

shaft secured -to said wheel and having op- 105 crative connection with said steering post, but independently movable relative tesa-id. steering post, a. pawl carried by the ici/ef" and adapted to impinge against the th rends o the housing, a holt, and inea'n's operated 110 ei'ative eonnectionwith said steering post, a 12o paw'l carried by the cover and adapted to iinpinge against the threads of the housing,

a holt, and means operated by said bolt, to

inove the saidp'awl from and into engag nient with said threads.

' EDWARD E. DA VIS.

an .externally eoncentrically 

